Guest Post
Are the days of chasing shots and chugging beer to get drunk a thing of the past? Drinking liquor isn’t the only way for your teen to get high now-a-days. In an effort to save calories, teens and young adults are engaging in a dangerous new trend known as “smoking,” inhaling alcoholic vapors as a means to get drunk. By pouring liquor in a glass over dry ice the vapors go directly to the brain and bloodstream.
Achieve a High without Drinking
“Smoking” is the latest craze sweeping the nation with young adults. Much to parents’ dismay, with the exception of dry ice, this activity can be done with ordinary objects lying around the home. For many, the use of straws or a bike pump and liquor are all that’s needed for quick buzz and results are immediate. Because teens have no way of knowing how much alcohol they are actually consuming, the results can be severe.
New Novelty
This new trend is fresh and exciting for numerous individuals, but the after affects are often not considered until much later. Many have grown bored with drinking alcohol the old fashioned way, and witnessing the circulated videos on YouTube, teens see this as an invigorating alternative.
Attractive to Users
Inhaling alcohol instead of drinking liquor may seem attractive to many users because of the way it goes directly to the brain and not the stomach. The feelings of intoxication may be shorter, but the results are immediate.
This dangerous activity may be considered ideal for those who are calorie conscious and want to get high, but don’t want to put on extra pounds to do so. This is also popular among alcoholics with a stomach lining that has become eroded from years of alcohol abuse. Inhaling liquor gives them an immediate buzz without them having to deal with problems related to their painful condition.
Hazardous Risk
The human body is a master at protecting itself from demise. What kept most individuals safe from alcohol poisoning was the vomiting factor. However, inhaling liquor foregoes this natural protectant.
It’s also difficult to ascertain how much alcohol you’re consuming, so you don’t know the actual amount that is traveling through your system until it’s too late. In addition, your lungs and respiratory system can be severely damaged through this popular practice. Driving under the influence of “smoking” can be even more serious. Remarkably, just one inhale has the effect of several beers.
Once popular mainly overseas, this perilous craze has now reached New York, Memphis, New Jersey and high schools and dormitories throughout the United States.
A few years ago, one company debuted a device, in New Jersey, that allowed users to “freebase” liquor for the nominal price of about $35. One New Jersey bar purchased the contraption as a way to offer alternatives to patrons, but shipped them back a few days later because of lack of performance.
The machine has since been banned in about 22 states, but the practice caught on, resulting in New Jersey DWI lawyer groups seeing an influx of DUI cases around the entire state.
As thrill-seeking individuals, most young adults and teens are always looking for the latest thing trending. Even though inhaling alcohol may seem like a much safer way to get high without getting fat, the outcome can be deadly.
Jamica Bell is a freelance writer and concerned parent to 3 teenagers. She contributes this article as a way to shed light on the dangerous practice of inhaling alcohol. Evan V. Levow is a New Jersey DWI lawyer dedicated to the defense of individuals charged with driving while intoxicated. Whether alcohol has been inhaled or ingested, Mr. Levow’s vast knowledge and experience has provided his clients with hope and peace of mind.
Whoa – I have never heard about this. So glad my teenage daughter is not a wild one. This is scary.
Oh wow, this is truly frightening. It’s crazy what people are willing to do to their bodies to achieve a high.
I saw this on the Today Show. Can you believe they actually think you won’t gain weight because they’re not drinking it.
I was shaking my head throughout the whole piece…very scary. I’m talking to my kids about this for sure.
I know, Corina, very scary. My son is only 10 but I plan on being very open and honest with him about stupid things like this. And some teens (especially girls) will believe that hype about not gaining weight. 🙁
I’ve never heard of this. Of course, I have no young children. Who comes up this and why is it allowed to be shown on you tube?
Lisa, my thoughts exactly… YouTube shouldn’t allow these kind of videos, imo. It just perpetuates this kind of behavior.
How awful. I am so scared of my boys trying one of these rediculous new things.
This concerns me. I have two older children who have impulse disorders, and this is exactly something that they could easily get talked in to. I guess I’ll be having a chat with them this evening. Thank you so much for this information, I have never heard of this.
this is the kind of crap that just makes me livid. Why do people need to do these stupid and dangerous things for fun?
I wish that YouTube wouldn’t allow these kinds of videos…. it just promotes it. And some teens think it’s so cool to video themselves doing these stupid things for their “15-minutes” of fame. 🙁
What will they come up with next? Yeesh.
This is so disturbing! Do kids have nothing better to do?!
I’ve never heard of this but thank you so much for this very helpful info. I have two teen boys in the house and I will bring this up during dinner.
It is an important conversation to have with teens… sad that this occurs in the first place, though. But, yes parents need to be like you and take the opportunity to have this conversation with their kids.
Nuts! One of my co-workers was JUST talking about this yesterday. Apparently teenagers are also giving themselves enemas with alcohol and soaking tampons in it. It’s so scary how these kids are learning all of these “tricks” so easily. 🙁
LeeAnn, I hadn’t heard about the enemas and tampons…. sheesh! It IS scary at the things that kids are doing/trying. 🙁
Ugh, that is scary…why do they do this??
I never heard of that but my son doesn’t drink so I’m not worried.
This is crazy! I’m so happy my teen isn’t doing this!
wow – this is awful. Scary.
Ugh I heard of this a little bit ago and it makes me so sick and scared at the same time. I know with each generation they all go through the stupid phase but this along with some other fads I have been hearing about are just plain scary!
Gosh all this stuff freaks me out. Kids are acting up and doing these crazy things scares me for my daughter’s generation 🙁
It’s sad that people will do anything to get a high. 🙁
Some teenagers will try almost anything. It’s so sad.
I just saw this on television the other day. It’s so scary!
I can’t believe how many ways people have come up with to get high. It’s scary and dangerous.
Wow. I haven’t heard of this before. What will they come up with next?!
Yikes, I hadn’t heard of this but it’s really scary. I think kids have too much time on their hands if they are experimenting with things like this. Whatever happened to going to the waterpark, watching a movie or doing something good in your community?
Ok, this is freaking me out. I remember when huffing was popular and this is along those lines. What is wrong with us as a people that we’ve gone to these measures to get a high? It’s appalling!
yea this started on the sixties and it will get worse from now on with these designer things, kids don’t realize driving is a big responsability